The Focus Of A Student Worker / Student Leader

As new people are entering into student leadership positions, one of the questions that they are asking is: "What should I be focusing on?"

The answer to that question will begin to determine one's leaning toward student worker or student leader.

A student worker will focus on the tasks of the position. He or she will seek out people as a part of the process of completing tasks.

A student leader will focus on people.  He or she will begin to bring people together to invest in them and to allow them to use their giftedness in order to complete the tasks that are required.  In many instances, a student leader won't begin to work on tasks until the right people are on board.

The student worker sees people as a means to completing tasks.
The student leader sees tasks as a means to developing people.

A student worker knows that he or she will need people at certain times throughout his or her student leader year in order to complete the tasks that the position requires.  People are necessary because the student worker can't do it alone.

A student leader knows that there are certain tasks that need to be accomplished throughtout his or her student leader year, but waits to see who can be brought on the team and shapes the tasks accordingly.  People are necessary because the leader won't do it alone.

Where is your focus? On the tasks or on the people. 

NOTE: The true test of this occurs when the person in the student leader position has no tasks on their plate for a period of time.  If it feels like you have nothing to do, you are probably leaning toward being a student worker.  But if you use the down time to invest in people, you are probably more of a student leader.